2024 Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
- March 20-23, 2024
- Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Live Results
- Live Stream
- SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Finals Live Recap
WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE — FINAL
- NCAA Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- Meet Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- American Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- S. Open Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- Pool Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- 2023 Champion: 4:36.62 — Kensey McMahon, Alabama
Top 8:
- Bella Sims (FLOR) — 4:32.47
- Emma Weyant (FLOR) — 4:33.70
- Anna Peplowski (IU) — 4:34.06
- Aurora Roghair (STAN) — 4:34.26
- Cavan Gormsen (UVA) — 4:35.37
- Abby McCulloh (UGA) — 4:37.13
- Rachel Stege (UGA) — 4:37.26
- Dune Coetzee (UGA) — 4:40.08
The University of Florida, familiarly known as Freestyle University, has built a reputation for excellence in everything from sprints to distance – but the moniker has been applied mostly to the men.
The Florida men hold the US Open Records in the 50 and 100 free (Caeleb Dressel), the 500 free (Kieran Smith), and 1650 free (Bobby Finke) in yards. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, that group combined for 5 medals in individual freestyle races, including four gold medals.
Move over, guys, the women are coming for you.
Florida first-year Bella Sims and junior Emma Weyant went 1-2 in the final of the 500 free on Thursday night, giving the Gators a big boost in the team race with Virginia. With season-best times of 4:32.47 and 4:33.70, respectively, they produced the #1 and #3 performances in the NCAA this year.
Sims went out quickly from lane 3, having qualified third for the final behind Weyant and Indiana’s Anna Peplowski. Sims had established a body-length lead by the 100 and was up by 2.4 seconds at the 200. Weyant started her descent at the 350 and began to chip away at Sims’ lead. Weyant outsplit Sims by .6 at the 350, .4 at the 400, and .3 at the 450. They both came home in 27.4 for a 1.23 difference at the touch.
Sims looked smother than the galloping style Braden Keith commented on in November, but her form does look different from what we see her swim in the 1500 free, for example. Whether it is the result of training under Anthony Nesty or the influence of his stable of freestylers, including Olympic champions Katie Ledecky and Bobby Finke, it is working for Sims, as she is the fastest 500 freestyler in the NCAA this year.
Freestyle University also won the 800 free relay last night, with Sims (1:41.03), Isabel Ivey (1:41.64), Weyant (1:42.90), and Micayla Cronk (1:43.02) combining for 6:48.59, beating runner-up Tennessee by 2.23 seconds.
Pretty sure Arizona holds the us open record in the 500 free specifically Leon Marchand. Now Florida has the American record, but not the us open record
This article went south right from the subject line, ouch!
Swimswam really thought they could get away with calling UF women the University of Freestyle lol
Anyone else see how Olivia Peoples swam fly in the 200 free relay?? Why?
They inherited a swimmer who was 4:28 and the other was 2nd at NCAAs in the 500 a few years ago. Seems like they just recruited 2 very fast 500 swimmers – 1 improved, 1 didn’t.
Boom! Plus they lost out on a very good local freestyler (with fairly close ties to the program) who decided to attend another school known for churning out 200 Freestylers.
Who was that?
Who are you talking about?
Maybe Nestys daughter
Boom again!
Man, I do not think swimswam saw these comments incoming. Including Andrew getting upvoted!
Sure, Freestyle University on the pro side of USA Swimming.
“University of Freestyle” had someone swim fly in the 2 Free Relay because, well, they didn’t have another freestyler. “University of Freestyle” also had the greatest recruit of all time add 4 seconds in the 500 free. “University of Freestyle” also added 3 quarters of a second in the 200 FRR. Lastly, how many scorers did they have in the 50?
“Freestyle U” gets 10th in a freestyle relay. LOL. Swimswam is parody.
trolls gonna troll
Florida had the greatest recruit of all time?
Remel chuckles.
Dressel was phenomenal, but when he committed to UF, he was 19.29/43.29/134.69 as well as 45.8 100 fly. This would barely be BOTR today
Meanwhile Bella Sims had multiple NCAA winning times, team records and even near NC records when she committed to Florida
Bella Sims won the women’s 500 freestyle on the second night of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving National Championships. The University of Florida won the women’s 4 x 200 freestyle relay on the first night of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
Pin the blame on the someone else for the University of Florida women’s freestyle failures tonight.
Bella added 4 seconds from high school my minuscule bro. They had zero scorers in the 50, and had a swimmer swim fly in a free relays because they literally didn’t have another option. Oh yeah, and 10th in that relay when they were seeded 5th
Ik ur upset because Stanford (and Meehan) are doing well right now, but best stick to commenting about your Cardinals.